Adventure Cyclist Reviews the Soma Jawbone B-Type Bikepacking Frame

 

Northern California native Corey got a chance to review our Jawbone earlier in the year for Adventure Cycling Association's print mag for members, Adventure Cyclist.

We don't want to print the whole review, but here are some highlights:
[UPDATE: Adventure Cycling has the review on their website as of October 30.]

The B-Type is for parts-bin tinkerers, single-speed devotees, and world tourers who may be attracted to the internal hub compatibility and the simplicity

The frame felt responsively and pleasantly compliant

For a touring bike, the Jawbone climbs well. With the high-volume 29 inch tires, it felt playful and paved and unpaved climbs.

The Jawbone's stack is high, but not so high that you couldn't build it with a fair amount of saddle-to-bar drop.

... a reliable companion for spins around your local trails, and it'll really shine when you have a chance to sink your teeth into a big multi-day ride.

The bike was built with Shimano GRX shifters and derailleurs, IRD Vortex 46-30t crank (GRX crank doesn't fit a 73mm BB shell), Ritchey Butano bars, Newbaum's Cushioned Cotton Bar Tape, WTB saddle and Maxxis Rekon 29 x 2.25" tires set up tubeless.

2023 Colorways for the Soma Wolverine

New Wolverine 4.1 A-Type Build
by Jon Bobel/Beat Cycles

The Wolverine, our gravel/monster cross model, is almost 10 years old!

For its 10th birthday, we decided to bring back the popular Pumpkin Orange paint we introduced the model in. It just has a sunny, positive vibe that we always loved. The Pumpkin Orange is going on only the A-Type, non-belt-drive model that has adopted more modern hub and headset standards. It is slightly easier to find high end wheels or a carbon fork for this model.

The B-Type, the belt-compatible version, that also fits QR hubs and EC34 headsets, is now offered in a green-tinted gray, we are calling Lunar Rock. The B-Type will continue to be offered with two different matching fork options. The lugged crown curved blade fork is classier and more comfortable. The unicrown is less flexy and more confident at speed and during hard braking. You need to figure out what camp you are in.

The Wolverine has been praised by many as our most versatile platform and the variety of bikes that shops and individuals have built them into often amazes us. 

• Gravel adventure bike 
• Light touring bike
• Endurance road bike
• Single speed CX bike
• Foul weather Commuter with Alfine internal geared hub and fenders
• Ultimate tourer with Rohloff hub and belt drive
• 700c wheels, 650b wheels, road bars, gravel bars, riser bars, alt bars, rando bag and mini racks, bikepacking bags, full front and rear touring racks.
  
  
  

Looking forward to seeing more incredible uses in the next few years.